


The Attic Room

by anniespinkhouse



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: AU, Chad Michael Murray - Freeform, Christmas, Crack, Dragon!Jared, M. egg preg, M/M, New Year, Schmoop, Swearing, sexual behavior, sexual concepts, unplanned parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 00:10:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1100168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anniespinkhouse/pseuds/anniespinkhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen was concentrating on his career, which is probably why he found himself almost homeless just before Christmas. Luckily (?) he found a room in Chad and Misha's house. It wasn't the attic room that was advertised, and in fact, he began to think there was something altogether mysterious about the attic room, and evasive about his housemates. Nothing could have prepared him for what he actually discovered there; a dragon, an egg, and maybe love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [【授权翻译】The Attic Room|神秘阁楼](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2319128) by [Lehterasenko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lehterasenko/pseuds/Lehterasenko)



> This may get betaed eventually. In the meantime I apologize for any mistakes - if I didn't finish this on Christmas Eve and post over Christmas, I knew I would never post it at all. 
> 
> Disclaimer: This is fiction, pure fantasy folks. Nobody here belongs to me and they’re not likely to get in my van for candy any time soon.
> 
> A/N: This is a little Christmas present for my readers, and especially my partners in crime in the Triumverate of Evil. I couldn't have got through this year without you. Day.  
> It is loosely inspired by my teenage love for the book, The L-Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks, and before that, my love as a small child for Puff the Magic Dragon. (Don't look at me like that - they totally go together)

**.**

 

 

 

 

 

**Now, New Year’s Eve**

In the corner of the room was a small tree with fairy lights. It lit the grim corners of a sparsely furnished room, and gold and silver baubles hung from almost-bare branches. Tinsel cascaded generously over the dry twigs.

A fire blazed in the hearth, and Jensen could feel drops of perspiration form and run from his brow. He wiped them away with the back of his hand and smiled. Somewhere in the distance a crowd counted down,

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, *cheering*.

He folded a soft fleece blanket and tucked it around a baby which snuffled sleepily in a big, old, pine cot.

He sensed Jared behind him, and thought he caught the faint rustle of wings.

“New Year. You should be out there, with your friends, Jensen.”

“I’d rather be here, with you, and with her.” Jensen nodded at the infant struggling to keep her sea-green eyes open.

A _whizz_ and _pop_ sounded in the distance.

“Oh! Fireworks! Is that fireworks? Come to the ledge! I won’t let you fall.” Jared grabbed Jensen’s hand and pulled him out of an unlatched attic window.

Jensen smiled at his enthusiasm.

The air was still, with a sharp bite of frost to nip at the nose and chill the lungs. Jensen shivered but then Jared was next to him, warm as an industrial heater, and he didn’t want to go back inside.

Colors exploded in the night sky, showering sparkling patterns to the noise of canons and pops and fizzes. He stood an inch from the edge of the roof, with eyes only for the expression of wonder on Jared’s face and the reflections that made the hazel and gold eyes gleam.

An unexpected _boom_ made Jensen startle and teeter on the old wooden platform, and then there were wings surrounding him, safe, warm with life, and gleaming with a dancing echo of carnival colors. Sharp talons on scaly fingers grasped his shoulders with utmost delicacy, but it was still Jared’s face that looked down at him with concern, his mop of shiny brown hair, covering one eye, and making the other blink.

Jensen didn’t think he’d ever seen anything as cute or as sexy, and he did what he’d wanted to do, ever since he had taken his first, fleeting glance at Jared. Three stories above the street, on a ledge outside a grimy attic window, he reached a hand to cup Jared’s chin, kissed the side of Jared’s wide, generous mouth, felt the heat of it, and the surprising softness of his lips. He licked tentatively at the curve of them, and Jared held him in the cocoon of his wings, pressed flesh and muscle and mouth against him, and kissed him back.

 

  
***

**Then**

November 25th

“I can’t believe you’re putting me out on the street, two weeks before Christmas,” Jensen grumbled at Steve.

Christian clapped his back, “Buddy, you’ve had plenty of time. We have a band, we have a contract and we have given notice for this apartment. We will be partying in California on Christmas Day. You could be with us. Hot dudes, songs and surf, man – but no! You prefer pregnant ladies and baby vomit.”

“I’m sure there’s a law against it.”

“Well, dude. If you were an actual bed-owning tenant, then you could apply to take over the tenancy, but since you are a couch surfing squatter, we told you to get your ass into gear and find new digs weeks ago. Besides, it’s not healthy. You need your own man-pad and some action. We wouldn’t be good buddies if we didn’t encourage it.”

“I’m busy,” snapped Jensen, “And I could get some action, if I wanted. I’m concentrating on my career.” He folded his arms and glared at his friends. “Which reminds me; I’m late.”

Christian grabbed a set of keys and shrugged on a jacket as Jensen wound a scarf around his neck. “Here, we’ll take the truck. It will give you time to look at the rentals in the local rag.” A smile tugged at the edge of his lips, “Unless you were planning to get some action on the bus.”

Jensen slammed the passenger door of Chris’s truck and fastened his belt as Chris launched the newspaper at him. “Here. I’m sure there’s a ‘personals’ column too.”

Jensen rolled the paper and playfully swatted Chris with it. “Not everyone wants a hook-up. Maybe I’m looking for something meaningful. Someone intelligent, who makes me smile, something that’s going to last. Maybe I'm going to wait until I'm established in my career, like a sensible person should."

Chris rolled his eyes. A horn blasted as he cut expertly, into the smallest gap in the fast lane of traffic. “You’re not going to find anyone on the maternity ward, Jen., but maybe you’ll meet some hot, intelligent, meaningful guy in a new apartment building."

Jensen snorted and battled to find the ‘to let' section and fold the paper to a reasonable size to read. The journey was spent in a relative silence except for brief outbursts by Chris, about the stupidity of other drivers, and various bad-tempered hmphs from Jensen as he crossed through ads.

By the time Jensen reached St. Barnabas Hospital, he had crossed through nearly every ad, with a grand total of two being at a reasonable distance from the hospital and within his price range.

“Don’t wait up,” he yelled, as Chris sped away.

He hefted his bag onto his shoulder and made his way to the nurses’ locker room to change into his blue puppy-print scrubs before making his way to check in with the ward-sister.

On the way, Mrs. Watkins smiled and raised a hand to wave at him from her bed and he paused to greet her.

“You’re still here!” he exclaimed cheerily.

Mrs. Watkins rubbed her large baby bump, “I told baby she had to wait until my favorite nurse was on duty, and she listens to her mom already.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to meeting her.” Jensen grinned. He enjoyed most things about nursing on a busy maternity ward, but introducing the newborns to mum was probably the best part.

Jensen continued to the nurse station, and his mind focused on names and faces, due dates, medical conditions and procedures.

The fact that it was an evening shift made it no less busy. Two ladies were in the late stages of labor, and one father fainted. Mrs. Watkins’ blood sugar levels stabilized and Jensen spent his meal break comforting a distraught teen-mum whose parents had chosen to disown her rather than support her. House-hunting would have to wait.

 

December 5th

The sun was coming up, when Jensen crept in from work, took off his shoes and stepped over packing crates to reach the kitchen. He had just grasped a beer from the fridge when he was startled by someone clearing their throat behind him.

“You’re late again,” Steve commented, “And that’s my beer.”

Jensen clutched the beer protectively, “You wouldn’t want to drink first thing in the morning. I’m saving you from yourself.”

“I’m glad you’re such a friend,” Steve told him sarcastically, then added, “So, how’s the house-hunting going?”

Jensen flipped the lid off the beer and took a swig. He tried to look cool and nonchalant but it fizzed and dripped over his top. “Damn!”

Steve raised an eyebrow and waited for Jensen to answer his question. Jensen knew the look.

“Mrs. Watkins had a baby girl - nine pounds, nine ounces and bouncing. She’s got this mass of brown hair already, and wow, loud! I mean, I couldn’t come home until they were settled, could I?”

Steve crossed his arms and blocked the kitchen door. Jensen tried to duck under his arm, but Steve stopped him.

“And does Mrs. Watkins have a room for you to stay, Jensen?”

“It’s fine. It’s cool. I got it,” reassured Jensen, while inside his stomach knotted with worry.

“So, you found somewhere?”

“Not exactly. See, it’s Christmas, and there’s references and deposits and stuff, and well … no, but it’s okay, I’ll crash on Mom and Dad for a while. It’s a bit of a trek every day, but it’s only for now, and there’s the on-duty accommodation at the hospital for Christmas Day …  and …,”

“Take a breath!”

“Right.” Jensen drew a huge gulp of air into his lungs and breathed out slow. “Right. You should get coffee before packing. I can help,” he offered.

“Go to sleep, Jen. You look wrecked,” Steve insisted, and pointed his finger at the couch. Jensen noted the covers and pillow, set out ready for him. He was going to miss his friends.

December 7th

It was still early. Mrs. Watkins was dressing baby Sera, ready to go home, labor was progressing nicely for Jensen’s latest ladies, and the ward was quiet, which gave him the opportunity to remember what he should have done, days ago.

“Mom! Hi.”

Jensen held the cell away from his ear until the barrage of ‘Why haven’t you answered our calls?’  melted into coos and ‘It’s lovely to hear from you’ and then he made appropriate non-committal answers to her questions about work, babies and the possibility of a boyfriend.

“So. Christmas…” Jensen managed to edge in eventually,

“Oh, isn’t it exciting dear! Paris! I didn’t think your daddy had it in him! I’m trying to decide what to pack. Do you think my blue sequin number would be too much? Mutton dressed as lamb? Mm. Maybe. For Christmas dinner at the restaurant I thought I would wear my little black dress, and the satin stilettos we bought last April. I never get anywhere to wear them here. I can dress it all up with some jewelry.”

“Paris?” Jensen was lost.

His mother continued, “I have cleaners coming tomorrow, and we’ve put all our documents in the safe. I don’t want the family we’re swapping with to think we’re unclean. Their apartment looks immaculate and it has a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower.”

“House swap?” Jensen asked. He licked his lips nervously, remembering his last conversation with his father, which he had only half listened to. Chris and Steve had been practising their newest song rather loudly at the time.

“Josh and Anna are in Hawaii, you are working, and by next year we could be grandparents, and then we will want to be home. This might be the last year we get the chance at a romantic Christmas together.”

Jensen gulped and feigned enthusiasm, “It’s wonderful mom. I think you should take the blue sequin dress, I know daddy loves to see you in it. So… how much do you know about the family who will be holidaying in our house?”

“Oh it’s a proper agency, and there’s references and checks, Jen sweetheart. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

 _Except being homeless at Christmas,_ Jensen thought _,_ but he echoed his mother’s enthusiasm and reminded her to send a postcard and gave the address of the hospital on-call accommodation. “ _Of course, it’s all fine mom, I need to be close to work over Christmas, lots of the staff do_ ,” he lied expertly.

Jensen apologized to Mrs Watkins and asked her to wait a few minutes before she was discharged, and then begged Rachel to cover his absence from the ward. There was a sudden urgency to find Katie, the hospital’s Accommodation Manager.

 

  
***

  
“ _Please_ , _anything_ , broom cupboard, basement. I don’t care.”

Katie patted his shoulder sympathetically, and slurped her coffee. He had caught up with her, taking a break in the restaurant.

“Jensen, if I had anything, you could have it, but you know what it’s like over Christmas season. The doctors get first priority, and a third of the accommodation block is closed for essential repairs. I can’t even fit Harry Potter in. There must be a colleague, or somebody. Have you checked the local paper?”

This was not good, Jensen reflected, as he hurried back to the ward. Brisk steps caught up with him, and he startled as he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He whirled around to face a sturdy young man with a weary face.

“Jensen, isn’t it?” The man stuck a hand out to shake his, and Jensen took it and shook it warmly, as recognition dawned.

“I’m the other Watkins, he said, in explanation. You picked me up when I fainted, when my wife…,”

“Of course I remember. Are you excited to be taking Sera home?”

“Huh, yes, nervous too, but I couldn’t help overhearing you, in the restaurant.”

“Oh.” Jensen said, “Oh!” he said again. “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.” He laughed it off.

“It’s just that there’s a place near us, near where I walk the dog. I don’t think they’re very fussy, and they’ve been advertising in their window, an attic room for rent. It’s a nice view across the park, and it might do, for a while.”

“Really?” Jensen asked cautiously. He didn’t want to seem desperate. He let Mr. Watkins write the address down for him, and after he had waved the little family goodbye, he straightened the crumpled paper out and studied it.  The area was close enough to St. Barnabas, but Mr. Watkins had to have the cost wrong. It was much less expensive than all the other rooms he had enquired after.

December 8th 

Jensen studied the house in Holly Lane, before he walked to the door. It was in an old area of town and the exterior hadn’t seen a coat of paint in a while. The lawn was unruly within a faded picket fence, and on the stoop, an empty beer can rolled in the breeze. Still, Jensen had to admit, that it was in a good location, on the edge of the park, by woodland.

He glanced upward to the little window in the roof, where there was a rickety wooden platform that jutted over red clay tiles. He wondered at its purpose, but his muse was interrupted by a glimpse of a tall young man at the window with … No! That couldn’t be right…

Jensen blinked, and looked again. There was nothing there. He sighed and continued to the door. He checked the bundle of money in his pocket. He was prepared to play dirty if he had to.

The doorbell didn’t work, and his knock echoed. Eventually he heard steps and ‘ _shit, shit, Misha put on your fucking pants dude’_ before the door was opened by an ordinary looking young man with spiked blond hair and blue eyes. He looked at Jensen and then past him, in confusion.

“If this is about your greenhouse panel, it wasn’t us. Kids in the street, y’know how it is.”

Jensen shook his head and opened his mouth to speak.

“Oh, fuck, man. Stephen ain’t here, so if it’s about your…” the man squinted at him, “wife…sister, then dude, you’ll have to get in line. No forwarding address, y’know what I mean.”

“I came about the room,” Jensen managed to interrupt in the end.

“What room?” The young man looked confused.

Jensen pointed at a tatty handwritten sign in the window, “The attic room,” he clarified. He took out a wad of cash and showed it to the man. “I can pay double for the first month, to move in right away.”

“Oh, that. It’s taken.”

Jensen’s shoulders fell in disappointment.

“Raccoons,” another voice butted in. An older man with short black hair and blue eyes wandered to the door with his pants in his hand, while his faded boxers declared him to be a ‘love machine’.  He stuck out his hand to shake Jensen’s. “Raccoons in the attic. Noisy. But we wouldn’t want them to get, er cold, so, that room, er, taken. You can have the other one though.”

“Other one?” The blond man hissed at the dark haired man.

“You know – the one below it, _no forwarding address_.”

There seemed to be a silent conversation between the two men and then the blond smiled like a barracuda, “Yes! We have a room that’s recently vacated, if you’re interested.”

“Yes!” Jensen replied without thought, even if he wasn’t sure why he was even considering it. There was something extremely strange about this household and its partly pantless residents.

“Oh, good. Party-time!” exclaimed the blond man, enthusiastically, “Here, come in.” he waved Jensen in.

The dark haired man had finally donned his trousers and was smoothing his hair into place.  “I’m Misha,” he introduced himself, “And that douche is Chad.”

“Jensen.” Jensen nodded.

“So, Jensen. In trouble with the law? Mob problems?”

“No!” Jensen was horrified at the suggestion, “Why? Have you?”

“No, man. We might be messy but we are all about the peace and love. Live and let live, and make sure you hide the blow where Chad can’t steal it.”

The kitchen was cleaner than Jensen had imagined, and the shared living space was cluttered, but at least the empty beer cans had been tastefully arranged into a surprisingly artful Christmas Tree. There were a few dubious stains on the carpet, but it was no worse than student digs he had lived in. He breathed out. It wasn’t so bad.

The stairs creaked as he climbed them, and somewhere in the house something  banged. The heating appeared to be malfunctioning, because the temperature upstairs was stifling. Well, at least he would be cozy.

Chad opened a door onto a room strewn with clothes, festering mugs of liquid, and unidentifiable objects. He slammed the door closed quickly. In the glance Jensen had been allowed, it seemed large and airy, and Jensen had to admit that the view, the same as the attic room, was astounding.

“He left in a hurry. We’ll get it cleared out by the time you get here.” Chad rushed to explain.

Behind them, there was the sound of a door slamming and they both looked around, but nobody was there.

“Is that Misha’s room or yours?” Jensen pointed to the door opposite the room he had been shown. He put his hand on the door knob and Chad intervened, a little too quickly. “It’s only the attic stairs. No need to worry about it.”

“Oh,” Jensen turned the knob, but the door was locked. He looked around again for the person who must have closed the door but there was nobody. Maybe he imagined it.

“You’ll find it sometimes sounds like there’s somebody up there – but you know raccoons,” Chad said, and his eyes seemed overly wide and innocent, “The room is yours if you want it.”

“Do you want to check my references?” Jensen proffered a note from Katie.

Chad seemed surprised, “Dude, you’re a nurse? Well why didn’t you say? Always handy to have a medical man in the house.”

“I work evenings and nights. Will that be a problem?”

“Nah. We’re easy. I’ll get you a key. When do you want to move in?”

“Tomorrow?” Jensen asked, determined not to let the opportunity of a warm room slide, even if it was in a household of very strange strangers. “I can ring animal control if you like, get those raccoons moved on,” he offered, helpfully.

“No! No!” Chad was jumpy. “It’s cold outside. They’re a bit like family. Don’t worry. You won’t see them, hardly hear them.”

“Right. Okay.”

Jensen shrugged off his misgivings, in favor of not sleeping on the streets, and got into a discussion about paying Chad only when he had moved in.

 

December 9th

Jensen arrived at the house in Holly Lane in time to find Misha tossing the last of the old occupier’s clothes into black trash bags. Chad greeted Jensen like an old friend, with beer and pants in his hand. Luckily they appeared to be someone else’s pants and Chad was fully clothed.

Jensen didn’t have a lot. He set down a crate of assorted DVDs and CDs, another with his old music player and a stack of books, then wheeled in a large case of clothes and bedding. His parents and friends had nagged him to settle down throughout his nurse training and now he had qualified and had a permanent job, the hints only intensified. Jensen didn’t see the hurry.  His career consumed most of his time and he had no ties. All he needed was a place to sleep.

The room scrubbed up well. Misha vacuumed the rugs and Jensen joined in wiping the windows while Chad skated around in bare feet on damp cloths soaked in disinfectant, to clean the shiny wooden floor. By the time they were finished, it felt like they were old friends. It dulled the ache he had felt at seeing Chris and Steve pack up and leave for their new life. He reminded himself that they weren’t gone forever, but even so, California seemed a long way.

Two games of Mario Brothers, on Chad’s Playstation, and an introduction to his own _NURSE-BOY_ labeled shelf, in the refrigerator later, and Jensen knew about the fungus on Misha’s toenail and the time that Chad was arrested for streaking at a baseball game. If he was distracted for a moment by the creak of the floorboards above them, or a strange shadow blocking the light at the window, he didn’t notice.

December 10th

Jensen finished his shift at six a.m. and it was still dark when he nestled gratefully into his bed. The mattress was surprisingly springy and comfortable, but Jensen kicked off all the covers and he still couldn’t sleep. Sweat pooled at the base of his spine and he swore. He got up and paced the room, found the heater control and turned it off. He took a moment to peer out of the window. Winter frost twinkled in the reflection of street lamps, on the trees that lined the park beyond. It was peaceful, and he breathed deep and stretched. Things were working out just fine.

A thump and clatter from above had him diving for cover, and a chunk of wood whirled through the air past his window. When the noise ceased, he cautiously unlatched the window and peered up. The roof above him looked undamaged but he resolved to mention the incident to Chad. His raccoons might be causing structural damage.

He looked down to the lawn below, searching for the offending missile but instead met the cheery wave of a tall, dark haired, and, from what he could see in the dim light, young and very attractive stranger. He waved back and watched him walk at a brisk pace, towards the park.

Jensen thought it was a good day for an early morning walk and maybe he would do the same tomorrow, if it remained dry. Sleepy as he was, it didn’t occur to him to question why the stranger wore no coat.

December 16th

Jensen buttered his toast and reached into the cupboard to retrieve his Nutella. His eyes narrowed as he looked into the jar.

“Oh! C’mon guys!”

“What?” Chad asked, defensively.

“Someone’s had a spoon in this.”

“I have not!” Chad retorted. “I have my own jar.”

“I don’t eat chocolate. Bad for the chakra.” Misha spoke serenely.

“Well, there’s only the three of us here.” Jensen huffed.

Chad shifted uneasily on his chair and a peculiar look passed between him and Misha.

“How would you like it if I drank your beer?” Jensen continued.

“You’d never sleep sweetly again,” Chad threatened.

“And that’s another thing, dude. Seriously, are you sure about those raccoons? Because they are heavy-footed, and I swear they were dragging something around yesterday. Do you want me to check?”

“No!” chorused Misha and Chad simultaneously.

“I’ll go see them,” Chad nodded.

“You’re weird, you know that?” Jensen teased.

December 18th

Jensen’s mother smoothed the eiderdown on Jensen’s bed. “It’s a lovely little room, and Misha seems nice.”

“But you will be looking for a place of your own, next year?” Jensen’s Pa asked gruffly.

“Well, I hadn’t any plans…”

“We were settled down, with Josh on the way, at your age.”

“I want to concentrate on my career.”

His Pa snorted and Jensen knew he was about to mention that being a doctor like Josh was a real career, not wiping noses and changing nappies. His mother rescued the situation.

“We brought you a little something, to make you feel Christmassy. Pa will fetch it from the car.”

His father’s attitude softened. “Sorry to leave you abandoned like this, but your Mom deserves this treat. She’s been our Christmas star every year.”

“I know. I want you to have a great time. Chad and Misha are alright, and I’m working anyway.”

The small potted tree that his father carried up the stairs made him smile, and they exchanged presents to open on Christmas day. Just before they hugged their farewells, Jensen’s mom excused herself to go to the bathroom. She returned with a huge grin on her face.

“I met your Chad. No wonder you’re keen to stay.” She winked at him.

Jensen frowned in confusion, Chad was at work and Misha was downstairs.

“Tall, with dark hair – the sort you want to ruffle, and you could lose yourself in those eyes. He seems a polite young man too, but very shy. He fairly rushed away.” She “mm-hmmed” suggestively and Jensen wanted to ask her more, but his parents had a flight to catch, and his Pa was already at the door.

After they were gone, Jensen searched every room, but only found Misha, melting wax for candles, on the kitchen stove. “Where’s your friend?” he asked.

“Dude?”

“The guy, upstairs. Tall, with dark hair.”

Misha blinked at him before replying, rather too quickly, “Oh, him! He went home.”

“My mother liked him.”

Misha chuckled, “She would.”

“You could have introduced us.”

“He’s shy.”

“What’s his name?”

Misha hesitated. He was definitely looking shifty. “Um. Ja – Jack,” he answered, and turned away from Jensen. “I have to make sure the wax sets just right,” he said, ending the conversation.

Before retreating to his own room, Jensen checked the attic door. The handle shook but it was locked. He pressed his ear against it, not sure what he thought he might hear, and the wood was abnormally warm. It reminded him that he had never turned the heater in his room back on, and yet the temperature remained constantly warm.

In the past week there had been times when he turned around, sure that he was being watched, and other times when he swore that the footsteps in the attic sounded human, rather than animal. There was something about the house that didn’t seem quite right. For the first time in his life Jensen wondered if he believed in ghosts.

December 20th

Jensen’s shift had been intense. One false alarm, an emergency caesarean, and a ventouse delivery saw Jensen leaving St. Barnabas under the weak colors of a frosty dawn. The weather was crisp and clear, and Jensen wound his scarf tight and decided to walk across the park.

There was barely a creature stirring in the hedgerows and trees, but as he got close to Holly Lane a robin hopped from branch to branch, with its head tipped curiously at him. Jensen reached into his bag for the remains of his lunch and broke a little bread for the bird which flew down to peck at it, just a few yards away.

His concentration on the robin had to explain why he bumped into someone, who had apparently appeared from nowhere, in front of him.

“Sorry.”

“Sorry.”

Something gold bounced and rolled across the frozen path. The young man in front of him brushed himself down and blushed. “I didn’t mean to…,”

“I wasn’t looking where I was going,” apologized Jensen, “Is that a bauble?” he asked, distracted by the shine.

“Bauble?”

Jensen didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone turn such a vivid pink in embarrassment, and the young man looked both adorable and very young. He wanted to kick himself for never walking home before, because the guy moving uneasily from foot to foot next to him, was the same one he saw on his first morning, from his window.  Close up he was even more attractive.

“Christmas tree decoration. Is it yours?” Jensen picked it up and offered it helpfully.

“N-n-n-no. No idea. Never seen it. Very pretty. Maybe I should…” The young man’s eyes seemed to glow more green as he looked at the trinket and he hastily pocketed it in his thin hoodie.

“Are you bruised? Did you bump your head? You must be cold like that. You should come in for coffee. I live just over there. I’ve got arnica… and coffee,” Jensen decided that he needed to work on his pick-up technique. The guy was hot and he was failing. “Hi, I’m Jensen,” he added lamely, sticking out his hand in greeting.

“Um, Jared,” the young guy replied, picking out leaves and twigs that were tangled in his hair and hood, and Jensen had to wonder how they got there. “Sorry. I really have to go.”

“It’s no trouble,” insisted Jensen.

“I’m meant to be baby-sitting. Can’t be late. Don’t want to miss...well, anything.”

Jensen tried not to swoon, because – _baby sitting_. “Right. Okay.”

Jared was remarkably fast. His feet barely seemed to touch the ground.

“Will you be here again? Maybe we could get coffee next time,” Jensen called after him.

Jared looked back, and there was a sadness about him, “I’m no good for anybody.”

Then he vanished, and Jensen couldn’t say where to, or which way he had left. It was more than strange.

December 21st 

“Very funny, guys. Give me back my tree decorations!”

Chad scratched his head. “The only tree I recognize is my beer-tree of awesomeness.”

“I have a nature altar,” remarked Misha, “Sparkly things don’t go with it.”

“Well someone has taken them, and it’s not funny!”

“Are you sure you haven’t mislaid them?”

Jensen could feel himself pouting. “Put them back, before I get home!”

“Dude! Not us!” Chad denied, open armed.

Jensen stamped out of the door.

 

***

  
“The drugs?”  Jensen asked Sister Ferris. “There was nothing unusual about the drugs round last night.”

“We’ve taken blood tests,” Sister Ferris spoke sternly.

“There was nothing unusual and we didn’t make any mistakes,” protested Jensen.

“Then please tell me how two pregnant ladies and one junior nurse managed to report a young man _flying_ through a third floor window, to steal cot blankets and nappies, and then stop to take tinsel from the ward Christmas Tree?”

“Oh.”

“Precisely,” snapped Ferris.

“Have they gone?” asked Jensen.

“What? The drugs, the flying man, or the ladies?” Ferris’s eyes were dangerously narrowed.

“The blankets and tinsel?”

“Of course they aren’t,” roared Ferris, “Nobody flies through third floor windows.”

“Em, excuse me?” Nurse Miner raised her hand timidly, “Actually the tinsel has gone from the tree and we counted the blankets and…,”

“Get out of here! You are all suspended until tests are complete!”

“That’s not…,”

Ferris snapped her fingers into ‘a rough approximation of ‘shut up’ and the word “fair” died on Jensen’s lips.

He trudged back home and arrived in Holly Lane just after ten p.m. The house lights were off, because Chad and Misha had gone to a party. Jensen intended to sulk in front of a late night movie with a carton of Ben and Jerry’s.

Except… _Oh shit_ , something bright flickered beyond the open _attic_ window. Light, or fire? If it was fire, it didn’t seem out of control, at least, not yet.

Jensen started to run. He palmed his cell phone but it was out of battery charge. He swore and ran faster, through the door, grabbed the fire-blanket from the kitchen and pounded up the stairs. He yanked the attic door, prepared to break it down, but it opened easily, and slammed after him. On the third attic stair he almost tripped as he stepped on something that rolled and then cracked into pieces. He looked down at a smashed Christmas tree bauble, but didn’t have time to wonder about it.

He stopped on the top stair, open mouthed and mystified.

A cold breeze blew in from the attic window which was ajar, but he could barely feel it. The room was hot, _like tropical_. A huge log fire roared in an open grate. The gas heater control was pointing to high and little electric heaters whirred frantically. A hard chair stood in the middle of the room and a plain single bed was neatly made. On a table in the corner, was an old-fashioned wash basin and ewer, and beside it a pile of neatly folded linen – a towel, several baby blankets, and a stack of nappies.

Jensen wasn’t sure if the most surprising discovery in the room was the mountain of Christmas decorations which overflowed and rolled over the floor, leaving a trail of fairy-like dust, or the large, golden, glowing, _**egg** ,_ that nestled unharmed in the center of the flames in the hearth.

He closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened them again everything was still there. He swallowed hard and tried to make sense of it all.

December 22nd

Being a sleuth sucked. Hiding in a closet was a lot harder than it looked in the movies.

At least Jensen didn’t have to wait long. A dull thud and creak on the roof platform announced the arrival of whatever was living in the attic room. He held his breath. Then let it go again. Damn fool sleuth should try not to faint. He breathed quietly, but it quickened as he saw what landed there. Translucent gold-green wings stretched majestically and fluttered, as if shaking damp from the delicate membrane. They curled in half and folded protectively around a tall young man, wearing only light sweat pants. He had gold-green eyes, and he shimmered in moonlight as he stepped into the room, carrying a sturdy cardboard box. The shimmer faded, wings neatly folded flat to the man’s back as he closed the window and put the box down. He grabbed a thin hoodie from the chair and pulled it on, over a broad chest and well defined abs, and now Jensen could see him properly – _Jared_.

Dressed, he looked like any ordinary young man. He took a cheap golden ornament from his pocket and turned it in his hand, admiring it, before placing it on his stash of decorations, then pulled half a chocolate bar from his other pocket and bit into it, like he was starving.

When he had swallowed the last of the chocolate, Jared knelt by the fire in the grate. The glow of the flames reflected on his face, and in that light his eyes were soft and hazel and sad. “We’re gonna be okay little one, you’ll see. I got you a bed, and there are blankets.” He reached to the table, took a blanket and folded it into the box. He continued talking and Jensen couldn’t hear it all but he recognized mother’s baby-speak. He spied on Jared, so fascinated that he forgot to be scared, until Jared casually reached his hand into the fire to stroke the egg.

“No!” Jensen shouted in shock, and tumbled from the closet ready to grab Jared’s arm and treat his burns, and just in time to see Jared blow a jet of white-hot fire into the hearth, _from his mouth_.

It was unclear who was the most shocked. Jared grabbed his egg from the fire and curled around it protectively. He changed in an instant. Sharp talons scraped the floor, a green scaled tail thumped furiously against the wall, wings extended and curled around him, and he hissed.

Jensen fell back on his ass and his mouth opened and closed. What he wanted to say was, ‘ _You’re a dragon’,_  but the only sound he was making sounded like “Aagh!”

They stayed there, for what seemed like an age, in some peculiar stand-off, before Jensen finally got to his knees. If he was honest, the dragon, Jared, happened to be startlingly beautiful, in a shiny green, gothic way, if a little too large to be backed against the attic room wall, swishing his tail.

“Wow! So I guess dragons are real,” was Jensen’s eventual ice-breaker.

Jared-dragon huffed and snarled.

Jensen thought he looked frightened.

 “I’m not going to hurt you. I thought you were going to burn yourself.”

Jared dragon narrowed his eyes and looked at the closet. “It doesn’t explain why you were in my closet, _spying on me_.”

“Dragons talk,” muttered Jensen, as if it made as much sense as dragons existing. Then, “You stole my Christmas Tree decorations,” and added as an afterthought, “and my Nutella.”

“We’re not stupid,” spat Jared dragon, with a faint wisp of fire, “And I will roast you until you’re crispy if you try to take my egg. He tilted his head, and added feistily, “I think I will roast you anyway.”  He puffed an impressive blue flare, neatly into the hearth.

Jensen hastily scrabbled back from the fire, watching Jared carefully. He didn’t want to be toasted, but he wasn’t sure that Jared could follow through on his threat, after all, Jared hadn’t toasted Chad, and Chad was the most annoying person Jensen knew.

“Can you do that in any color?” he asked.

“What?” hissed the dragon, “Why?”

“It’s beautiful, like fireworks.”

“What are fireworks?” The dragon asked. He took a step toward Jensen, eager for the answer.

“Pretty explosions in the night sky, they glitter…,” Jensen looked at the stack of ornaments in the corner for inspiration, “…like gold. They’re beautiful, and there are lots on New Year’s Eve. I could show you.”

“There are?”

“Yes,” Jensen nodded enthusiastically.

“I can cook you in cerise…” Jared blew bright pink flame into the fire, “Or even silver,” the next flame gleamed like stars, and Jared oh-so-carefully and gently placed his egg back in the midst of it, “You can choose.” Jared drew himself up. He was almost as large as the room, and his scaled feet and claws spanned Jensen, jamming him into a small space by the bed.

“You’re not going to cook me,” Jensen spoke quickly, with only a slight shake in his words.

“I’m not?” The dragon sounded surprised. He bent his neck gracefully to snuffle his green and surprisingly velvety muzzle against Jensen’s bare neck. Breath puffed hot, but not unbearable over Jensen’s sensitive skin.

“No. You haven’t cooked Chad, so you won’t cook me.”

“You smell nicer than Chad.” Jared snuffled at Jensen again, took a good long sniff and closed his eyes.

Jensen didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. He continued, soft and reassuring, “You’re young and alone and you’re about to become a parent. You’re hiding in an attic, stealing food. I don’t know how dragon families work, but I don’t see anyone here defending you, or supporting you. You’re frightened, and I can help you. You’ve watched me. You followed me to the hospital, and you took those blankets and nappies, after my shift ended.”

Jared sat back on his tail, he suddenly looked much smaller. He roared angrily, and a rainbow of bright steam drifted into the room, but Jensen saw the tears that gleamed in his eye.

“You can do this, Jared. You’ll be a great daddy – mom… I can help you. You don’t have to be alone.”  He reached to the soft muzzle and stroked it. “Please, let me help you.”

Jensen was surprised to find that he meant it. He was sure he was right in his assessment of Jared’s situation, and he was having a hard time being frightened or angry with Jared, who, for all his threats, hadn’t even singed the décor with his flames.

Little clouds of steam puffed from Jared, and Jensen thought he saw him hiccup. He continued to stroke Jared’s muzzle, extended his touch to tentatively smooth the shimmering scales of his neck. They were warm and smooth and Jensen wanted to lean into them and hug the dragon.

Jensen couldn’t pinpoint exactly when he found his arms full of a tall young man who clasped his arms around him and buried his face into his neck, but it felt good and smelled of wood-smoke and cranberries. He hugged him back.

When Jared’s sniffing subsided, Jensen patted his knee, “When are you expecting? Do you want to tell me about it?”

Jared didn’t let go of Jensen, and he began to talk.

~~~~  



	2. Chapter 2

December 23rd  
  
“You had a dragon in your attic and you lied to me!”  
  
Chad hid behind the kitchen counter. “Have you seen Jared? He’s a dragon. He was going to fry me if I told! It’s not like he’s paying rent!”  
  
Jensen stalked over to him. “He doesn’t have any food, and he’s going to be a mom, and you hid him,  _without trying to help_.”  
  
“He stole my food,  _he threatened to fry me,_  and I wasn’t running to complain! It’s not like we can go to welfare – like  _hey, there’s this dragon with his egg, and he needs a food parcel_.”  
  
“He was scared! He can’t live on Nutella sandwiches, and he can’t stay hidden in the attic.”  
  
“He’s doing just fine, as far as I can tell, and that’s before we even discuss the utility bills,” Chad retorted.  
  
“Well, he needs things, and its Christmas, so you are going to help.”  
  
Chad stood up and brushed himself down, “Or what?” he asked, defiantly.  
  
“Or I tell him to roast your chestnuts for Christmas dinner.”  
  
“You wouldn’t!”  
  
“I would!” Jensen fixed his sternest glare on Chad.  
  
“You wouldn’t!” Chad’s voice faltered.  
  
“Ooh pantomime, can anyone join in?” Misha strolled into the kitchen, munching on an apple.  
  
“And you!” Jensen pointed. He hoped it looked meaningful, “Yes, you are helping too.  
  
Misha raised his eyebrows, “With what?” he wondered.  
  
“Well, for a start, we need a crib.”  
  
“We do?”  
  
Jensen nodded seriously. “Uh-huh, and a good meal, vegetables meat, nothing in packets.”  
  
“Did you miss the memo about  _dragon_. He can’t wander about like he’s normal.” Chad argued.  
  
“Probably more normal than you. His feet aren’t smelly, and it’s not like anyone is looking and thinking,  _I wonder if he’s a shape-shifting dragon_?” Misha commented through a mouthful of apple.  
  
“You’re supposed to be my friend.” Chad growled at Misha.  
  
“Why can’t we all be friends? Makes for a better party,” Misha suggested.  
  
Chad rolled his eyes. “Don’t look at me, when he goes on a drunken people-eating rampage.”  
  
“He doesn’t want your beer, and he doesn’t eat people. He needs a place to raise his baby, and friends to support him,” Jensen argued.  
  
Misha stopped munching, “You mean that egg thing is real?” He looked horrified when Jensen nodded affirmation. “But isn’t mommy-dragon going to come back for her little darling?”  
  
“Jared is upset, and I’m no dragon expert, but as far as I can tell, he  _is_  the mommy-dragon, and daddy-dragon is a no good douche who dumped him when he found out about his little darling egg.”  
  
“That sucks!” Chad and Misha said, together.  
  
Jensen was grateful they finally agreed on something.

 

***

 

In the end Jared consumed ham salad sandwiches, potato chips and orange juice in undue haste, by the fire of the attic room, because, according to him, his hatchling was due any time in the next week, and he didn’t want to waste a moment away from his egg.

Chad’s offer to watch over the egg while Jared took a little time for himself, was met with a frosty stare, a shudder, and mutterings about  _imprinting_  and how Chad was entirely unsuitable for the job.  
  
After eating, Jensen and Jared sat in comfortable (if hot) silence on the floor, watching the fire and the changing glimmer of Jared’s egg. Their arms and legs pressed together and it felt natural to Jensen.  
  
“I wish I’d waited for a dragon who was more like you,” Jared remarked. “Mark is handsome and charming, and the sex was good," Jared looked into the distance with a smile playing on his lips, "Really good, actually, and the way he described this world, seemed like an amazing adventure. He said he would never leave me. Told me he was waiting until I was older, to take me home and make our mating public. I’m an idiot.”  
  
“Maybe he panicked. He might come back for you.”  
  
Jared snorted, “He never cared about me. Apparently he has a harem, and I don’t fit the mold required for his status. I had to find _that_  out from a tree-elf.”  
  
“Is that what you do, in the park? Talk to tree elves?”  
  
“No! Nobody comes here for the trees. I met Genevieve at a nightclub on the East side, when I was still stupid enough to believe Mark was coming back, and again, when I was searching for a magician to get me home.”  
  
“Did you find one?”  
  
“No.” Jared looked crestfallen. He pointed to his pile of sparkly ornaments. “And even if I did, I haven’t nearly enough shimmer to pay for a spell."  
  
“What  _were_  you doing in the park, then?”  
  
“I need wood for the fire and I need to stretch my wings. I mean I love her,” Jared pointed to his egg, “But I need to feel the air under me and the moon above me.” He looked shyly at Jensen, “And, I miss you when you’re not around, and you were late home, and I was worried. I try to be discreet, and I’ve been experimenting with a slit at the back of my hoodie, for my wings, so I look normal when I land, but sometimes I get tangled.”  
  
“You fell!” Jensen tried not to laugh, but his lips curled up. “You fell at my feet!”  
  
Jared tried to glare at Jensen, but his bitch-face transformed into a smile and then an uncontrolled giggle. He poked Jensen in the ribs, “You could say I fell for you,” he added, and his hand lingered against Jensen’s thigh. Jensen didn’t push it away. His gaze lingered on Jared’s wide pink lips, and he wondered what they would taste like.  
  
“Dude! I am awesome!” Chad burst through the door, bearing a large pink, fluffy bunny, a white cotton baby sleep-suit, and a slip of paper. “My cousin has been fostering baby twins. She has, like, all the shit you could need, and vouchers for Target, and I happen to be her favorite cousin.”  
  
He stopped short, and looked at Jensen and Jared, “Am I interrupting something?”  
  
The moment was gone. Jensen threw a plastic cherub at Chad and they both got up to see what he had brought.  
  
December 24th  
  
Sister Ferris looked at the small gathering of ward nurses. “Drug records and blood tests have proven that there were no errors and no negligence by hospital staff. For now we’re putting the incident down to mass hysteria, and you will all be paid for last night’s shift, regardless of whether you worked. You have your work rosters. Please remember, it may be Christmas but babies will continue to be born.”  
  
Nurse Miner smirked as they left the Nurse’s station to start their rounds, “She can’t bring herself to apologize, can she? What do you think it was?”  
  
Jensen shrugged, “Someone played a trick, probably hid behind the curtains.”  
  
“The kids on the Children’s Ward wanted it to be Santa’s elves, checking out the newborns for last minute presents. I wish it could have been. Health and Safety have banned a sleigh decoration on the roof opposite the ward.” She sighed, “The kids deserve some magic.”

 

***

  
Technically, the first baby born on the ward on Christmas day was a Hanukkah child, but it didn’t diminish the sense of wonder and celebration. Mom and dad smiled wearily and gamely took photographs posing in Santa hats. Jensen counted his little toes and fingers, noted weight and the baby blue eyes, and was impressed with his lung capacity when he cried.  
  
Through it all, he couldn’t help wondering about Jared and his egg, in the attic room. He hadn’t asked about fingers and toes, wings and talons, and Jared had been vague, apart from being certain she was a girl dragon, and thinking she would shift to be in whatever form Jared happened to be. Having a hatchling hadn’t been on Jared’s list of priorities. His education didn't include hatchling-care, and local libraries didn’t carry any helpful dragon-parenting books. Jensen worried how they were going to know if she was healthy, and what best to feed her. How quickly should she grow? Could dragons suffer from post-partum depression?  
  
Jensen didn’t stay for mince pies or small-talk after his shift. He pulled on his coat, hailed a taxi, and rushed home.  
  
  
December 25th   
  
Jensen negotiated a route through an assortment of empty glasses, party streamers and several comatose strangers on the living room floor, and he averted his eyes at the sight of a mostly naked Chad. He had a nasty, puffy bruise over one eye and was asleep on the couch with a petite brunette who was similarly unclad. He grabbed a few potato chips and a sausage roll, stuffed them all his mouth at once and dashed up the stairs, two at a time, to see Jared.  
  
The attic door was unlocked, and he continued up the stairs. What met his eyes was a sight that had him wondering about his sanity. Jared was in dragon-form, huge and glimmering. His tail curled around him, his large feet tucked neatly under him, and his head, with its short horns and long muzzle, rested on the floor, in front of the fire, beside his glowing egg. His eyes were shut tight and little clouds of multi-colored steam puffed from his nostrils at regular intervals. Jared was asleep, and it was an oddly domestic and peaceful scene, once Jensen’s mind forgot to question the whole  _dragon_ thing, yet again.  
  
He tiptoed close, to peer at the egg. He couldn’t see any crack, or other sign of hatching, but he knew that Jared wouldn’t want to miss anything. He must be exhausted to sleep so deeply with Chad’s friends in the house.  
  
Jared stirred, a talon scratched the floor, and one eye opened sleepily.  
  
Jensen instinctively reached a hand to stroke his neck. “It’s okay, Jared, you need your strength. I’ll take a turn watching.”  
  
Wings briefly twitched and unfolded, and one of Jared’s legs reached out with uncanny speed, and scooped Jensen to sit against his hot underbelly, by the fire.  
  
Jensen didn’t have time to object or worry about the dragon’s intent.  He was settled in a moment and Jared breathed deep and closed his eyes again. He relaxed into the oddly comfortable cushion that Jared was, and stared into the fire. Colors danced and glowed around the egg. It was mesmerizing. He didn’t think he’d ever felt so content.  
  
Jensen yawned and opened his eyes to the vision of Jared setting a cup of coffee by the side of the small bed in the attic room, where he found himself lying.  
  
“You were tired. I didn’t want to wake you,” human-shape Jared said.  
  
Jensen rubbed his eyes and looked about, “What time is it? How am I in your bed?”  
  
“You’ve been out for about six hours. I figured you'd had a busy night.”  
  
“I’m in your bed,” repeated Jensen.  
  
“On your own!” Jared’s reply was defensive, and he hung his head. Messy hair hid his eyes, but his cheeks colored. “I know what you must think about me, but I know I’m nothing special, and I  _don’t_ climb into bed with everyone.”  
  
“Hey,” Jensen grabbed Jared’s wrist, “You have nothing to be ashamed of, and you’re here, caring for your child. The one who left you, he’s the one who should be ashamed, and he’s an idiot. You’re too good for him.”  He let Jared’s wrist go, “I meant, I’m  _heavy_ , and you needed your sleep too.”  
  
Jared grinned at that, and Jensen noted his dimples and a playful shine in his eyes, “I’m a dragon. Of course I can manhandle you.”  
  
Jensen remembered Jared’s defined muscles and couldn’t help the thrill that lit his nerves and pooled in his belly at the thought of being manhandled by Jared a little more.  
  
“I was cat-napping. It was a noisy night. Chad had friends over. Then Genevieve called in to check if I was doing alright - she gave me this address in the first place. Personally, I think she was passing, saw the party and decided I was the ideal excuse to crash it. Then she decided she needed to be  _introduced_ to Chad. She has dreadful taste in men.”  
  
“Genevieve? The tree-elf?”  
  
Jared nodded.  
  
“Little? Pretty? Brunette?”  
  
Jared gave a crooked smile and raised an eyebrow, “I think Chad is warming to our kind.”  
  
“Yeah, well, they seemed warm together on the couch,” Jensen agreed.  
  
Jensen sat up and grabbed his coffee. He gulped it down, and it was perfect. How did Jared know just how he liked it?  
  
A thought occurred to him, “Any progress? Maybe Genevieve has some advice for dragon-parenting. Have you asked?”  
  
“I didn’t think of that. Nothing has happened yet.” Jared looked surprised and hopeful. “Do you think Chad has her telephone number?”  
  
“We can ask.” Jensen ran his hands through his hair and stifled a yawn, “Oh! It’s Christmas! Merry Christmas, Jared.”  
  
Jared looked wary, “What do we do now? For Christmas, I mean. We aren’t taking part, are we?”  
  
“Of course we are. I have to call my parents. I have food in the cupboard, snacks and beer.”  
  
“I’m not sure I want to.”  
  
Now, Jared looked terrified.  
  
“Jared, what do you think we do at Christmas?”  
  
“Well, Misha is staying with his girlfriend, Vicki for two whole days, and Chad said something like  _party, eat and fornicate_ , and I’m not saying I don’t like all that, and I do like you, but it’s not good timing. I don’t want to rush into anything, and it’s what got me into this mess in the first place.” He looked nervous as he spoke, like he was expecting Jensen to be angry with him.  
  
“Jared! Is that what Chad told Genevieve?”  
  
“I don’t think they talked much at all.”  
  
Jensen tried to stifle a laugh, but it came out sounding like a demented sneeze, “That may be what Chad does at Christmas, but I was intending to stay in, eat fattening food, watch bad movies and open the presents under my tree. Do you want to do that?”  
  
Jared nodded enthusiastically, his relief was evident.  
  
Downstairs, everyone was gone and it was quiet. Chad’s door was closed and had a large ‘Do Not Disturb’ sticky note on it. Jensen wrote a note and slipped it under the door, and then they ate mandarins, cheesy nachos and chocolate, and took it in turns to check on the egg while watching ‘The Grinch’.  
  
“I got you a present. Well, there wasn’t much in the hospital shop, but it’s something.” Jensen offered a small package, in ‘get well soon’ wrap, sealed with surgical tape.  
  
Jared tore into it and stared, with a huge grin, at a copy of Baby magazine and a thick softback book – Eragon. He chuckled, “I don’t think I’m as handsome as that,” he pointed to the dragon picture on the book cover. “Thank you.”  
  
Suddenly, Jensen had his arms full of sweet, smoky Jared, hugging him tight.  
  
They went back to the attic room. Jensen carried his tree up there saying that it should be there for baby to see when she hatched. Jared draped it with a selection of decorations from his stash. When Jensen had pulled on the Christmas reindeer top his brother had sent him, and donned his Santa hat, he called his parents, to thank them for the iPad that had been in his parcel. His Pa described the Eiffel Tower, and food and champagne that made him salivate. His mom, gushed about the fashion stores, and teased him about his habit of wearing a Christmas sweater each year. “Just think,” his mom changed the subject, “Josh and Anna are trying for a baby, so next year, they could be sorting out bottles and naps, mushy food and noisy toys. That would be great too.”  
  
Jensen glanced at Jared, and into the fire, at the promise of magical life that nestled there. He did think that would be a wonderful sort of Christmas. For the first time, he thought he might like it to be  _his_  young family they were describing. Perhaps he could relax a little in the New Year, find a home and plan a future.  
  
Their peace was disturbed by the slam of the attic door, a drag of a heavy item, and a clatter of feet on the stairs.  
  
An open box with an assortment of pine panels was pushed over the top step closely followed by a tiny girl in Chad’s pyjamas. Delicate silver wings peeped from her clothing.  
  
 “Can I hang out with you?” Genevieve plopped herself down on the only chair, without waiting for an answer. “Chad has to visit his auntie, and he said you wanted to speak to me, and my heating broke, so my apartment is freezing, and…” Genevieve didn’t take a breath between words, but she looked at Jensen, “The wonderful thing about being around a dragon, is, you never get cold.”  
  
Jensen wiped the perspiration from his brow. He couldn’t disagree with that. “I have to go to work soon. It might be nice for Jared to have company.”  
  
Jared keenly agreed, and they both looked at the huge box that Genevieve had brought with her.  
  
“Oh. Wanna help me build a cot? Misha sent it around from Vicki’s for you, earlier. Said to call it a Christmas present.”  
  
Jared’s eyes were moist and he blinked and wiped them with the back of his hand. “I haven’t got anything for anyone. I took Christmas things.” He looked dejected and indicated his stash of stolen tree decorations.  
  
Genevieve’s wings reflected the light of the fire and Jared shimmered. The cogs in Jensen’s brain turned and he had what was either the most brilliant or worst idea ever.

 

***

  
Nurse Miner studied Jensen, in his Grinch scrubs and Santa hat. She furrowed her brow, “You’re not making any sense.”  
  
“You wanted the kids to have some magic? Stop asking questions and let yourself believe in magic for a few hours.”  
  
“Let me get this straight. I ask Alona Tal to tell the kids on her ward this crazy story, leave the window open and make sure Sister Mills is distracted, while I cover for you here with Sister Ferris. You go and look after somebody’s baby, for half an hour, and some sort of magic happens. What have you been drinking?”  
  
“Just, just…it’s Christmas Day. Do you think I’d ever do anything crazy to endanger any of the kids on either ward? Can you believe for today, just today?” He flashed huge, innocent green eyes at her and fluttered his long eyelashes.  
  
“I must be mad.”  
  
“Then you will?”  
  
She growled, “You will have to convince Nurse Tal.”  
  
He grinned and punched the air.  
  
“Jensen? You don’t happen to know anything about a flying blanket thief do you?” Nurse Miner looked suspiciously at him.  
  
He shrugged and shook his head, but his lips tugged up at the sides. “I have obs to do,” he said, and hurried away.

 

***

Jensen was still at the hospital, hours after his shift finished on Boxing Day morning. The kids in paediatrics glowed with excitement, and he made sure he visited each one, with a little fairy story book he had picked up from the hospital shop.  
  
“It was a real dragon,” boasted Peter.  
  
“And one of Santa’s elves. She was ever so sparkly and pretty,” chimed in seven year old Sally.  
  
“Because the reindeer only like cold places, and were tired after delivering all the presents. Santa uses dragons in places where it’s hot, and they don’t get tired, so that’s why it came.” continued Peter.  
  
“They made the tree more pretty,” interrupted Sally, “Look at all the tinsel.”  
  
“Dwagons make wainbows wiff fire,” added three year old Tilly, still sucking her thumb.  
  
As he left the ward, he noticed that Sister Mills was still at the Nurse’s Station.  
  
“Nurse Ackles! I need a word with you.” The words were spoken with frightening intent.  
  
“Yes, Sister.”  
  
“That piece of theater you staged last night was an irresponsible and unprofessional thing to do.”  
  
He shuffled his feet and bit his lip.  
  
“I’ve already spoken to Nurses Tal and Miner, so there’s no point in denying it.”  
  
His heart sank and he imagined his career plans ending early. “Sister Mills…,”  
  
“Shut up, Nurse Ackles. I have no idea how you did it, but it was… _brilliant_.”  
  
Jensen looked up and she was smiling joyfully and shaking her head.  
  
“If hospital management or health and safety ask, it never happened, right Jensen?”  
  
“What never happened?” Jensen asked with faux-innocence.  
  
“That’s the attitude. Merry Christmas, Jensen. Now, get off my ward and go home.”

 

***

It felt good to have somebody to go home to. Jensen stumbled through the door of the house on Holly Lane, eager to find out if there was news of Jared’s hatchling, and to share the happiness and wonder that Jared and Genevieve’s visit had given to all the sick kids at the hospital the night before.  
  
Jared was waiting with a bowl of soup and a DVD of The Polar Express, and all evidence of partying had been tidied from the shared living room. “Gen and Chad went out,” he said, “And Gen is sure that my egg will glow red a few hours before she hatches. She told me to chill out. Will you chill out with me?”  
  
Jensen smiled at his choice of words. Jared’s dragon-warmth was heating the entire room.  “I’d love to.”  
  
December 28th  
  
Jensen leaned against Jared’s curled dragon-form. He had an evening’s leave from work and there was no rush to go out or do anything in particular. They’d started the day gathering wood in the park and Jensen had been in fits of laughter at Jared's recollections of his first days among people, a little less than a year before. Jensen found conversation with the dragon easier than with most people, and he was surprised by the number of things they had in common  
  
Right now though, Jensen was speechless. He couldn’t take his eyes off Jared’s egg. It had started to change color at midday. From pale pink it had darkened to strawberry red, then cranberry, and now deep claret, with a tiny golden crack spanning it. The faintest squeaking and tapping could be heard from within. Jared’s breath now matched the color of the egg, and he had started humming when the egg turned claret. It resonated, deep and peculiar, and Jensen had asked him about it. Jared had no idea why he was doing it. “Instinct, I think” he replied, and carried right on doing it.  
  
When a tiny red muzzle poked through the shell, Jensen couldn’t help himself, he nudged Jared with his elbow, “Oh, oh, so cute, aww,”  
  
Jared-dragon glanced at Jensen, and Jensen recognized all the signs of the dragon chuckling; rainbow smoke blew from his nostrils in marshmallow puffs, and his eyes sparkled. “ _Aw_! I thought you were a professional who has helped hundreds of babies into the world.”  
  
“None of them were yours,” Jensen smiled. “Oh, look, look!”  
  
Jared went back to humming, but the pitch of it changed, and he extended his neck until his muzzle was right in the center of the fire, nuzzling the tiny, wet nose of his child. He cooed strange words, and Jensen didn’t know if it was parent-nonsense or dragon-speak. He resolved to ask Jared to teach him some dragon words.  
  
The little creature that finally struggled from the egg was not magnificent. It was a tiny, red, squashed, and sticky dragon, with blinking gold eyes. It was the sweetest and most beautiful baby Jensen had ever seen, and he’d seen a  _lot_  of babies.  
  
Jared gently licked the top of his hatchling’s head, and then continued over the rest of his child, giving it a tongue bath. The baby dragon’s eyes struggled to focus on Jared and she opened a shockingly large mouth, to nip Jared’s nose, with tiny, pointed teeth. “Hahaha! She’s got wicked-sharp teeth!” exclaimed Jared proudly, to Jensen, “Give her your finger, she won’t hurt, not really.”  
  
“No but the fire would,” laughed Jensen as he shuffled closer to it. He glanced at Jared’s taloned toes – five on each foot, and compared the tiny soft-clawed toes – five on each foot. He noted one of the hatchling’s ears twitch when Jared resumed humming, and watched the steady rise and fall of its soft belly as it breathed. Every now and again it mewed and kicked its legs, fighting against the wash it was receiving. Jensen let go of the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.  He knew nothing about dragon-babies, but all his instincts told him that this one was healthy.  
  
When Jared finished bathing the little red dragon, he gathered it softly in his mouth and moved it onto his stomach, near Jensen. Bright gold eyes regarded Jensen solemnly, and a clawed foot reached out to him. He was enchanted.  
  
“Can I?” he asked Jared.  
  
“Of course.”  
  
He reached out his hand and stroked the foot with one finger. It was down-soft and warm. The foot closed around his finger, and the hatchling squeaked and closed its eyes, and Jensen knew he was in love.  
  
A loud crunching sound made him jump, and he looked up to see Jared smashing what was left of the egg and then sticking out his tongue to gather up the pieces. He chewed enthusiastically before spitting it all out in a disgusting wet pile, on the floor.  
  
“Ew! Jared!”  
  
“What? Gen told me it’s best for the first few meals. It has all the nutrients and boosts immunity. It tastes kinda like smoked salmon. Do you wanna try some?” Jared dipped a talon into the pile and offered it to Jensen.  
  
Jensen grimaced, “No, no! Really! Little one needs it most!”  
  
“You’re not going to like the bit about chewed squirrel, then,” Jared muttered under his breath, and Jensen chose to pretend he hadn’t heard.  
  
Jared's hatchling had no such qualms. The moment Jared’s eggshell-coated talon came close she crawled in its direction. Her nostrils flared a wisp of pink smoke and Jared offered her his claw.  
  
Jensen winced. He knew how sharp Jared’s talons were, but she took the tip delicately into her mouth and sucked contentedly on what coated it. Her eyes closed as she suckled and she fell asleep, tucked into Jared’s hot underbelly still clutching Jensen’s finger. Jared licked her head contentedly, and sighed.  
  
“You okay?” Jensen asked, in hushed voice.  
  
Jared’s voiced trembled with emotion. “She’s wonderful, but so tiny, and helpless. She’s the most beautiful hatchling I ever saw. I didn’t know…, oh god, I love her so much and I only just met her. How am I going to keep her safe? It’s terrifying.”  
  
Jensen patted his neck. “Jared. That’s precisely what every mom thinks. You’re going to be magnificent. Look at you two already. She’s clean, cozy, fed and content. You couldn’t be managing any better.”  
  
“Do you really think so?” Jared’s dragon eyes were moist and shiny.  
  
“I know it.”  
  
Jared spoke up again, he sounded frantic with worry, “I can’t go back. I can’t give her up. I thought maybe I would be able to, but I can’t.  I know we're here, we’re alone and different, and that’s selfish of me.”  
  
“Nobody is saying you have to give her up, Jared. She’s your baby. There’s lots of ways to be different. It doesn’t make you wrong. Besides, you’re not alone. Chad and Misha regard you as part of their inner circle, you have me, and in case you hadn’t noticed, Genevieve is your friend. She keeps coming around to help.”  
  
“Gen’s only here for Chad.”  
  
Jensen shook his head. “She broke up with Chad yesterday, and has her sights set firmly on her heating repair man. She didn’t want to bother you with her personal shit.”  
  
“Honestly?”  
  
Jensen rolled his eyes, “Jared, you have friends, and nobody is going to take her from you.”  
  
“If I go back, they will.”  
  
“Why would your family do that? Look at you together.”  
  
Smoke puffed grey from Jared’s nostrils, his shoulders appeared to shrug. “It’s the way it is. I’m a disgrace; a parent without a mate. Our chief will take her into his family, and she’ll have everything, good food, education, and a proper family. She will never know me and she won’t have to take my shame.”  
  
“What about you? Jared it takes two to have like, hardcore sex, and I think the crap-bag who dumped you should be taking the blame.This little girl, she’s a treasure. She’s nothing to be ashamed of.” He couldn’t disguise his shock.  
  
“I shouldn’t have climbed into bed with him.” Jared stroked the sleeping baby delicately with a single talon, as he spoke. “I’ll leave my clan. The chief is fair. He will exile me to another clan, where my secret will be kept. He’ll ensure there is a good dragon to take me as a third or fourth mate. I’m a breeder who has had his hatchling. I’m not a good choice, but I can still please some-dragon.”  
  
Jensen couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Jared, you’re young. You’re not to be put out with the trash. There will be other chances.”  
  
“It doesn’t work like that. A breeder dragon will only have one egg in its lifetime, and a non-breeder will take several as mates, and care for them, but they don’t want another dragon’s offspring. I have no value any more, because I can’t give them their own child. It’s just the way it is. I was stupid and irresponsible. I thought I wouldn’t get knocked up until I was much older, and I didn’t take precautions. I have to take what I deserve, but I don’t want to. I don't want to give her up.  _I can’t_.” Jared sounded desperate.  
  
Jensen hadn’t considered the possibility of Jared being ripped from his life. In a short time, he had got used to Jared being by his side, grown to love his smile, his playfulness, and his kindness, even the little clumsy things he did. He didn’t want to imagine the emptiness by his side if Jared returned to his own world. “So, stay here.  _Please, Jared_. Genevieve has been here for several years. She manages. She knows others like you. She has ID, and ways to make it work.”  
  
Jared looked down at his daughter, “I have to consider her future. You’re not going to stay in that pokey room downstairs, forever. What happens when you move on? When Misha marries Vicki, and Chad settles down.”  
  
“I’m not going to stop being your friend. Not ever! You’re not going to be alone. I’m going to help, and I’ll be there for both of you, as long as you want me to be. Don’t even  _consider_  giving her up. We’ll find a way.” Jensen spoke passionately and he didn’t notice the way he curled protectively around Jared’s hatchling, and tightly into Jared’s side.  
  
“Thank you.” Jared simply replied, but the sudden change back to human-form Jared, clutching his hatchling and hugging the breath from Jensen, spoke volumes.  
  
  
December 29th  
  
Jensen dipped his finger into a jar of beef and vegetable baby food and held it out. The little red dragon on his lap wriggled and mewed, opened her mouth wide and clamped it around his finger, to suck every drop of food off. When the mushy food was gone she chewed on his knuckle, leaving pin-prick tooth marks. “Ouch, you little monster!” laughed Jensen and scooped up more food for her. The jar was almost empty.  
  
“See…,” he looked over at Jared, sitting on his bed, studying a volume of baby names. “No need for chewed squirrel, at all.”  
  
“Jess!” said Jared, ignoring Jensen’s jibe, “Jess is my favorite. I think I’m going to name her Jess. It is a little like  _Jensen_. After all, you helped to bring her into this world. What do you think?”  
  
Jensen wiped dribble from the baby dragon’s muzzle, and wrapped a blanket around her. Little gold eyes were starting to close. “It’s a pretty name, it suits her, and I’m honored.” He rocked her, and long eyelashes fluttered at him, “Hello there, Jess.”  
  
She burped, and chuckled, and  _changed_ , and Jensen found himself holding a baby girl, with a down of fine strawberry-blonde hair on her head, and deep moss-green eyes.  
  
Jared jumped up from the bed so hastily that he banged his head against the metal bed frame. “Ow!” he yelped. Then, “Dude! She imprinted on you too. How cool is that?”  
  
“She did?”  
  
“Look at her! She couldn’t see me from that distance. She totally did! That is so awesome. She thinks you’re her daddy,” Jared stopped still, with wide eyes, and chewed his lip. He was clearly waiting for Jensen to freak out.  
  
Jensen did; in a happy, thrilled, sort of way. The thought of this magical young life, believing in him, to love her,  _depending on him_ , wasn’t frightening at all. It gave him a warm glow that started in his heart and spread through his soul. “That is so cool,” he agreed, with a huge grin, and couldn’t help adding, “Who’s the daddy, I’m the daddy!” with a whole body dance.  
  
Jared let go of his breath, and the tension left him, “Dude!”  
  
They both laughed. Jensen put her down, in her cot, and they stood, flush to each other’s sides and simply watched her sleep, with Jared’s heat seeping into Jensen.  
  
December 30th  
  
It was a chilly morning, but dry. Jensen finished his shift on time and hurried to get changed and leave. Jared surprised Jensen by meeting him. He pushed Jess back and forth, outside the staff door, in the big, old fashioned pram, with a slightly sticky wheel, that Genevieve had acquired for him.  
  
Jensen grinned like a maniac and greeted Jess with a funny face, and Jared in a friendly embrace.  
  
“I hope you don’t mind. She wouldn’t stop crying. I thought she might sleep, but she calmed down once we were walking.”  
  
“Mind? It’s great!”  
  
Alona Tal followed behind Jensen. “Oh my god!” she squealed, “I didn’t know you had a nipper of your own, Jensen. She peered into the pram and cooed over Jess, then gave him a playful slap on his arm, as she looked Jared up and down, approvingly. “This is your Christmas co-conspirator! Oh my! No wonder you kept him to yourself.”  
  
Jensen blushed, “We’re friends, and she’s not…,”  
  
Alona interrupted him as Rachel Miner came through the door on her way home, “Rachel! C’mere! Come see what Jensen has been hiding,”  
  
“She’s gorgeous, a real fire-cracker.” Rachel tipped her head as she looked at Jess, then straightened and looked up at Jared, “Well, you are certainly unexpected. I never would have thought it.” She stuck out her hand to shake Jared’s, “Rachel,” she introduced herself.  
  
“Jared, Jared of Padalecki,” he replied, eventually, and he was staring at Rachel, in a most peculiar manner.  
  
A taxi pulled up and Alona and Rachel, got in and waved them goodbye. Rachel winked at Jared, “Don’t be a stranger,” she said, as they drove off.  
  
Jensen wasn’t jealous,  _he wasn’t_ , but he bristled at the familiarity.  
  
Jared rocked the pram. He pouted. “You could have said.”  
  
Jensen was lost, “Said what?”  
  
“Your friend, Rachel,”  
  
“My friend Rachel, what? We’re only colleagues.”  
  
“Tylwyth Teg,” Jared sneezed.  
  
“Bless you!” replied Jensen, “Tilly-what?”  
  
“Tylwyth Teg. Her kind have a bad name here. People fear what they don’t know, but they’re really very sweet.”  
  
“Jared, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
  
“Oh,” Jared looked happy, “Rachel is Otherworld. Like Genevieve, and me. She’s a sort of fairy.”  
  
“You could tell?”  
  
“Of course, as surely as she knows I’m a dragon.”  
  
“I didn’t know.” Jensen couldn’t help the next question that rushed from his lips, like a jealous lover, “Do you like her?”  
  
Jared shrugged, “I don’t  _like her_ , like her, if that’s what you mean.” His eyebrows lifted and there was a golden-hued twinkle in his eyes. “I only like men, well, men and men-creatures in  _that way_ , but she seems nice.”  
  
“She is. Nice, I mean. She is nice.” Jensen nodded, feeling lighter.  
  
They walked through the park, and Jess fell asleep. They both took advantage and went to their own beds as soon as they got home.

 

***

Jensen woke to a bellow of anger, and he was dragged from his bed by a strange man with a face that was flushed with fury.  
  
“Who the hell are you? Get out of my bed!”  
  
Jensen wondered what he had eaten to give himself this sort of nightmare, but the bump of the floor against his ass was real enough. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it over him, and that was a bad move, because now he could either stay covered, or punch this well-built, and rather handsome brown-haired man.  
  
He chose to stay covered and cower pitifully, “It’s my bed! And it’s my room! You get out!”  
  
The man clenched his fist and Jensen cringed, but no blow came.  
  
“Did Chad do this? Is this a set-up?”  
  
Jensen looked up at the man, who eyed him suspiciously. “Well, yes. Chad rented me the room,” Jensen stated.  
  
“My room! My house!” the man growled.  
  
Jensen was starting to get a very bad feeling about this.  
  
The attic room was to let.  _The attic room_!” the man continued ranting, “And not to your kind.”  
  
“That was already taken,” Jensen spoke as calmly as he could.  
  
“Chad let the attic room? He wasn’t supposed to do that. It’s for…travelers, and wayfarers… and this… this is mine. Where are my things? My books?” The man looked about, at the neatly arranged room. “My clothes!”  
  
Jensen scrabbled to get up, “Um, I don’t know.”  
  
The man pushed him back down, “You are not going anywhere, until I get to the bottom of this mess. Where the hell is Chad? CHAD!”  
  
Jensen wasn’t proud, he whimpered. “I don’t know, I was asleep. You’re going to wake the baby.”  
  
The man sat heavily on Jensen/not Jensen’s bed, he looked horrified, “Baby?” he asked, “I haven’t…I didn’t…I always use protection.”  
  
Jensen didn’t want to jump to any conclusions, but his right hand clenched.  
  
Chad burst through the door, and Jensen was distracted.  
  
“I heard you shout. Is everything okay, dude? Is little Jess alright? What are you doing on the floor?”  
  
Then there was silence, a big fat, pregnant pause, before the color drained from Chad’s face, and he was backing up.  
  
“Stephen, dude. Buddy. Stephen. Ah.”  
  
“You tell me, Chad. There appears to be somebody in my bed, and it isn’t Goldilocks.”  
  
Chad talked fast, “Just doin’ a favor. You needed to disappear. Makin’ it look real, right? Those Salvadore brothers weren’t gonna think you’d be back if I’d rented your room. Right?” He gritted his teeth nervously, and whined. “It was Misha’s idea.”  
  
Stephen held his hand out and rubbed his finger against his thumb, “Money, Chad? You rented this room and the attic room.”  
  
“And had an awesome Christmas, dude, despite being shaken down by heavies asking after you, three times.” Chad held up three fingers and mimicked being doubled over in pain, “Three times, buddy, because you couldn’t keep it in your pants with their little sister.”  
  
“Which reminds me,” snarled Stephen, with menace, “Why is there a baby in my attic?”  
  
Chad held his hands up in surrender, “ _Dragon_ -baby, and shh, you’re going to wake them.”  
  
“Did you take money from them?” Stephen glared at Chad.  
  
“No! Never! You always said it was for strange folk…and there wasn’t much stranger than Jared.”  
  
The man, Stephen, bounced up from the bed, with a happy grin, “ _Dragon baby_? I have a baby dragon in my house? Well, why didn’t you say?” He looked down at Jensen cowering on the floor, “Well, get up and get dressed, we have a hatchling! Why is everyone in bed?”

 

***

  
** Now - New Year  **

When they were done kissing, the only light that remained flickered inside the attic room, and silence surrounded them.

  
“We should go inside.” Jared helped him in to the room, where the heat was like a furnace and Jensen shivered with the difference.They both stared into the cot, at the tiny sleeping figure. Jared reached long fingers to stroke downy cheeks.  
  
 “She’s beautiful. Thank you for everything, Jensen.”  Jared nervously scraped bare toes over the wooden floor, and blushed. He looked young and vulnerable. Jensen wanted to scoop him into his arms, make him stay, and keep him safe, but Jared had to make his own decisions, be allowed to be the adult he was, and stand on his own two (or four) feet.  
  
“Misha said we’re supposed to make resolutions, for the New Year. What are yours?” Jared asked.  
  
Jensen gave a nervous chuckle, “I have to let Stephen have his bedroom back, so Chad can have his. Douche or not, the couch is killing him. I thought I’d look for a place. Not a bachelor-pad. Somewhere with a garden for a child to play in, trees maybe. I want two bedrooms, and family friendly. I’d like to not be alone, maybe get a dog. I thought I might spend a little more time at home, if it was that sort of home. How about you, Jared? Have you decided what you will do?”  
  
Jared nodded. “Yes, I think I have.”  
  
Jensen’s heart thudded against his ribs, he felt hot and cold and sick waiting for Jared’s decision.  
  
Jared spoke softly, “The Amells are an established line of Magicians, but Stephen doesn’t have any magic. He thinks it was lost over a generation ago. Still, he has contacts, a network if you like, and he says he can get me home.”  
  
Jensen closed his eyes, and he felt a tear on his eyelashes, but he  _wouldn’t_  cry.  
  
“I don’t want to go home,” Jared finished, “I’m happy here. I like my new friends. I want to get a job. I want to see Jess go to Kindergarten, and school, and graduate and choose her own mate and choose how she lives her life. There are others here, so I know it can be done.”  
  
Jensen felt Jared’s dry, hot hand in his, “I want to stay with you, if you’ll have me, and if it doesn’t work out, I want you still to be able to love Jess as your daughter. I want Jess to call you daddy.” There was a tremble in Jared’s voice, “I can always go home, if I misjudged. Am I wrong about us?”  
  
Jensen lost his internal battle, tears flooded his eyes and splashed over his cheeks, “No, you’re not wrong. We could try. We should try being together, shouldn’t we?”  
  
“We could try here, in bed, right now,” Jared suggested with a wicked gold gleam in his eyes, and his fingers and lips left a searing erotic trail on Jensen’s skin, as he lifted Jensen’s tee shirt over his head and kissed Jensen’s neck, and shoulders, sucked on his nipples and licked his navel while his unruly hair dragged and tickled.”  
  
“We could!” Jensen agreed with an eager whine, and tugged Jared to the bed, on top of him.  
  
Two minutes later, they were both naked, and Jensen was exploring Jared’s skin temperature,  _all over_ , in the name of science, of course.  
  
Guns n’Roses’,  _Paradise_ _City_  blasted at high volume, and they both froze.  
  
“Nooo,” wailed Jensen. He reached under the bed for his cell phone.  
  
“Don’t answer it,” Jared begged.  
  
“It might be an emergency,” Jensen sighed. He ran his hand through his hair, sat up and pressed the call button.  
  
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”  
  
Jensen pulled the phone away from his ear, at the blast of noise, all the way from California.  
  
“We’re partying with Kelly Clarkson.  _Kelly Clarkson_ , buddy!” Steve slurred happily.  
  
“Happy New Year, loser!” yelled Chris, in the background, “We have champagne,”  
  
“And a swimming pool,” added Steve.  
  
Jensen could hear drunken renditions of Auld Lang Syne and the sound of  _bagpipes_. “Well, I’m very happy for you guys. Happy New Year. Ring me tomorrow.”  
  
“Jen? You okay?”  
  
“I am  _partying_!” He shuddered deliciously, as Jared put his arms around his waist and nibbled on his ear.  
  
“Yeah, very funny. Turn the music up.” Steve laughed.  
  
“It’s a  _private_  party.”  
  
Jensen stifled a groan as Jared playfully swatted his ass and mouthed, “Hang up,” at him.  
  
“He’s having a party, a private one.” slurred Steve at Christian.  
  
The next voice was Chris’s, “Hilarious, Jen! “What movie are you watching?”  
  
Jared’s hand wandered lower and circled on the top of his thigh, and then finger walked ever closer to his balls. Dark blue smoke puffed over Jensen's neck, making him shiver. Jensen giggled, writhed and whimpered, making noises worthy of a porn star.  
  
Jared started to giggle with him, and grabbed the phone from Jensen, “We’re making our own adult movie. Do you want a copy when we’re done?”  
  
There was a brief silence, then an “Oh, God, no! Bye then.” from Chris and Steve simultaneously.  
  
Jensen yelled, “Bye,” as Jared turned the phone off and tossed it over his shoulder.  
  
“Now, where were we?”

 

~~end~~

 


End file.
